Few times in life are better than summer vacation as a kid. There is something special about summer vacation; it is a time of freedom, fun and friendship that you just never see again. There is even a mini-genre of movies, usually released during the summer, that portray “the summer that changed everything.” (Think “The Goonies” or the more recent “Earth to Echo.”)

Unfortunately, sometimes a single summer can change everything for the worse, especially as children enter their teen years and the free time and relative lack of supervision that come with summer vacation mix with the peer pressure and pitfalls of the teen years, including alcohol.

There are more parties in the summer, as no school means no need to wake up early on weekdays, freeing up Sunday through Thursday night for parties or smaller gatherings, and with more parties come more opportunities for underage drinking.

Summer parties are also less likely to be supervised, as the nice weather permits outdoor parties at locations off the beaten path, far from parents and police. (In Cumberland, holding a party in the middle of the woods is popular.) The exodus of many homeowners to their beach homes also creates opportunities for their teens to throw a party at their now abandoned local homes.

This proliferation of underage drinking during the summer months can derail a teen’s life in many ways. Teens who begin drinking before they turn 15 are seven times more likely to develop an alcohol problem than people who wait until they are 21. Teens who start drinking during the summer may keep drinking once school rolls around in September, harming their grades.

And of course there is always the danger of alcohol poisoning and accidents (not just drunken driving accidents, but also those caused by falls or failed stunts done on a dare) that can change a person’s life in one night.

What can you do as a parent to influence your kids, and their friends, to make healthy choices this summer?

First and most importantly, talk to them about alcohol. Let them know your expectations about their behavior. Parental disapproval is the No. 1 reason cited by teens who do not drink.

Second, talk to them about their lives, and where they are going and what they are doing when they go out, and listen to what they have to say.

Third, if you are leaving for the shore and leaving your teen behind, make sure you bring any alcohol in your house with you, and let them know that you will be checking in unannounced, sometimes at night, throughout the summer, and recruit your neighbors to keep tabs on the house while you are away.

While there is no magic solution to guarantee children will make the right choices this summer, by taking these steps, parents can capitalize on their position as the most important influence in their child’s life and steer them in the right direction to a summer that is fun, memorable and safe.

For more information about talking to your kids about underage drinking, or to learn about opportunities to prevent underage drinking in your community, please contact Michael Regenelli at (856) 794-1011, ext. 303 or michael@southwestcouncil.org.

The Cumberland County Healthy Communities Coalition’s mission is to reduce substance abuse among youth in Cumberland County through the collaborative and coordinated efforts of key stakeholders from the entire community. To learn more, go to swccoalitions.org or visit CCHealthyCommunitiesCoalition on Facebook.